2017 Favorites: January & February

I thought I was all out of favorites since I did all of those 2016 Favorites posts, and then I finally pulled out of my new stuff and started playing with them! Right after I took all of these pictures, I did realize I did really enjoy a few more products but I'll save those for my March Favorites since I already have so many for January & February.

I've been in between wanting to be really glowy and then somewhat more matte, but not completely flat. I did a massive 3CE / Stylenanda haul in December and one of the favorites from that purchase was the 3CE Back to Baby Glow Beam in White. I also have Pink, but have just being using White a bit more. It adds the most beautiful dewy base to my skin and the glow also translates through any product I wear on top of it. I love it for my dry skin especially since this winter has been more harsh on my face, but I can definitely see this product being too much for anyone with more oil to their skin.

On the other hand, I've also been enjoying two powders a lot more than I thought I would for different reasons. I've used powders on and off for awhile but one of my biggest problems was that my under eye concealer would still crease and make me look more aged than I am. The Holika Holika x Gudetama Sweet Cotton Pore Cover Powder is one of the few powders that didn't do that to me! I've even used it super packed up to bake my contour and under eye area and it still looked great! I don't have oily skin, but it kept any extra shine off of my t-zone (or when I used a bit too much of the 3CE Glow Beam). To dust off extra powder from my baking, I would just a fluffy but tapered brush with the Guerlain Météorites Illuminating Powder Pearls in Medium. This powder is hands down one of my most expensive single item/product purchases ever and I love it. I thought it was all hype, but it really does smooth out my skin texture and helps add a in real life photoshop finish to my face. There is a tiny bit of shimmer but only if you look super close at my face.

For lips, I've been really enjoying a more 90's brown nude by lining and filling my lips in with the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in 1993 and then just tapping the NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Area to deeper the color. Area just by itself does intimidate me since it's such a dark brown, but I love mixing it with other products to create my perfect brown nude shade.

For the eyes, I've been really loving the Melt Cosmetics Shadows in Rubbish, Rust, Love Sick, and Rott (one of the custom stacks they sold) and the Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow in Kitten Karma and Rose Gold Retro (review here). The swatches for the Melt Cosmetics shadows do look a bit patchy, but I blame my sweaty arm because they blend beautifully on my lids. The eye shadows are expensive, but oh man they're so good. Rubbish has become a go-to crease shade for me. I never thought I would love mustard as a shade, but it's gorgeous. They're also so pigmented and I'm so glad I bought these shades as a quad since I can create so many looks using just these shades including a gorgeous matte smokey red look.

For the Stila glitters, they're one of my favorite discoveries this year already! I already bought two more shades as well. There is some fall out, but only when I try to blend them out when they're more dry. They provide such a user friendly glitter to all of my looks and immediately makes me feel pretty fancy.

L to R -

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in 1993

NARS Area

Melt Cosmetics Rubbish, Rust, Love Sick, and Rott

Stila Kitten Karma and Rose Gold Retro

& that's it for my first favorites post for 2017!

What are your January/February favorites? Have you tried any of these products?